The home side then crashed to 30 for five before recovering to score 165, largely thanks to Luke Jongwe's 58.

Yamin Ahmadzai and Fareed Ahmad both took five wickets, sharing all 10 to fall.

Then the game was turned on its head by the tourists as Najibullah made 99 in 103 balls, Taraki 51 in 68 and Fazal Niazai 42 not out in 111 deliveries to build a lead of 261.

But for Vermeulen's 107 in 174 balls, Zimbabwe A would have been well beaten but he held the run chase together before eventually, with Mirwais Ashraf taking six for 35 and Yamin Ahmadzai three for 65, the tourists won out.

The two sides meet again in Afghanistan's final game of the tour in two days (2nd August).